Multiple control apparatus for electric railways



A. C'OUWENHOVEN. MULTIPLE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS-APPLICATION man APRQIG. 1919.

1,41 1,269. Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

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UNITED STATES ABRAiiAiw oouwnmiovnn, or sem n zen-ion, swrrznitrannlAssIGNon T0 AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT BROWN, BOVERI & cm, or BATDEN,swrrzEnLAnn- MULTIPLE, oonrreor. APPARATUS roe ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 4, 1922,

Application filed Aprn 16, 1919. Serial no. 290,550.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, ABRAHAM CoUwnN- rrovEN, a'subj'e'ot of the Queen ofthe Netherlands, residing at No. 132 Zurcherstrasse, Hdn'gg, ne'arZurich, Switzerland, have invented certfain new and useful Improve mentsin Multiple Control Apparatus for Electric Railways, of which thefollowing is a specification.

In multiple control apparatus for elec operated by the driver, but theyhave to move automatically out of circuit again after the predeterminedswitchcontact has been reached. This problem has already been solved invarious ways, but: the solutions have always required a number of rathercomplicated devices in order to satisf all requirements.

The present new solution of the said prob lem has the advantage of beingextremely simple; Although the number of the several devices could notbe diminished appreciably as compared with the known control apparatusyet however the several parts belong- 1ng to the improved controlapparatus have lost their complicated construction and have becomesimple, powerful and cheap apparatus.

The essential feature of the invention.

consists in this that the controller drum is provided ,with two segmentswhich are staggered in step-like stages in the usual way, and that theswitch motor of each motor vehicle is controlled by means of relays. Thecontroller drum is provided as usual with a series of fixed contactsequal to the number of the steps. These steps are conneoted electricallyto an equal number of leads extending along the train, and are alsoconnected electrically in each motor vehicle toan equal; number. ofcontacts of an answering device contact roller, or path that is actuatedalso by the switch motor. In every position of the controller drum oneportion of the through leads is con' nected to the positive covering ofthe controller drum, whilst the other portion of the through leads isconnected to the negative covering of the controller drum. Experiencehas shown that the'controlling motor runs until the contacts of theanswering device actuated by it, have reached the limit position ofpositive and negative.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing whichillustrates a constructional example of the improved controlapparatusfor six switch steps: The

drawing shows the control station in operation and in connection withthe main switch drum drive of a motor vehicle. The through controlleads, as well as the fixed contacts connected to them, are marked withArabic numerals, 14-6; further, the two' through main leads +-and aswellas the leads for-forward and reverse running V and It are alsoprovided. The switch positions the control drum and answering. deviceare correspondingly marked with the Roman numerals IVI. The zeropositions are marked 0; the cut-out position of the controller drum intowhich are to be brought all the drums of the control stations-that arenot in serviceare marked A. The control circuit extending through allthe vehicles of the train is completely separated from that/of the motora which drives through the gearing Z), the slip coupling 0 and the chaingear d, the mainswitch drum that is mounted on the shaft 6, and by meansof this separation the through leads are relieved of the comparativelyheavy currents of the motor drives, so that they as well as the leadcouplings '7, have to be calculated simply for carrying the very smallcontrolling currents "for the relays g and h.

The controller drum i is interlocked with the commutator switch in sucha manner that the latter cannot be moved out of its mid-position so longas the controller drumz' is in the position A, and also that thecontrollerdruine' cannot be moved out of the position. 0 into a runningposition (LVI) so long. as the commutator switch is in its mid-position.This has however nothing to do with the invention, nor does theinvention include the means for drivm, and w, of which '12:-

ronnccted. to the positive lead land the other a COHilPl'iGC i to thenegative lead In every running position (for instance Ill) the leads areconnected to the segment in up to the Arabic numeral that corresponds tothe Roman position numeral (that .is to say, in the example the leads 1,2, and 25), whilst the leads having higher numerals (4t, 4, (S) areconnected to the segment it. According as the or the coil of the relay 7is energized, the reversing switch 0 will he m ved over to the right orto the left, and either the field winding p for forward rotation, or thewinding g for reverse rotation oi the motor a, is fed with current. tthe same time one of the coils of the re a. 3 /2 is cner gized, and thecircuit of the l '1' is provided with two hfltlll'lcll segments lockingmag;- net 7* is connected to the source of power, so that it willattract the pawl 25 and tog cthcr with the switch 8 will close thecircuit of the motor a.

As above stated, the shaft of the switch motor (1 serves to drive theanswering device Z which in this case is coi'istructed by Way of exampleas a straight switch path and is provided with contacts 1-45 and withtwo sliding brushes u and "1) that are insulated from each other and aresliiahiy mounted on a screw spindle as well as with two slide bars as,o.

If, according to the above example, the controller drum 2' is rotated.into the position III, this movement will connect the con troller leads1, 2, 3 to the segment m, and the leads 4, 5, 6 to the segment n of thedrum. When the brush 0 of the an swering device Z is not placed on aconnecting contact, it cannot close any circuit. On the contrary,however, the controller circuit is closed by the brush c of the device Zwhich connects the contact 1 (connected. to the positive lead) to theupper slide bar 7 through the coils ol? the relays and it. The magnet 1is brought into circuit and attracts the pawl I: from engagement withthe notched disc w. and it. together w th the Switch 3, closes thecircuit of the motor 11' whose field winding Q been injv the circuit bythe relay The mote lne'nces to run, and. d lr' to the main drum spindle6., also the screw spindle of the answering device Z. By this means thebrushes u, o are. moved towards the right. The controller circuit isopened and the relays g and it become dead L But whilst the switch 0 ofthe relay 5/ remains closed to the left," the switch of the relay h ismoved by the spring power into the-cutout position (as shown). The relaymagnet r is then (lo-energized, but the switch 8 cannot open the circuitof the controlling motor a until the complete revolution of the spindleZ allows the projection on the pawl t to fall into the notch provided inthe periphery of the disc to. After the completion oi the revolution,the brush *1) has moved on to the Contact 2, whereby the circuit of thelocking magnet r is closed again and the pawl 25 is attrarted until thenotch in the disc to has moved past under it. At the same time the brushit has moved over upon the contact 1, but does not close any circuit inthis position, because the lower bar is connected to the pole, as islike wise the case with the contact 1.. The same .eries o't operationsis repeated when the brushes move oil toe contacts 11., 2 on to thecont-acts 2, 3 because also the contact 3 is connected to the positivepole ot' the source of power.

in alteration takes place only when the brush '1; met -s on to contacti: which is connected to the negative segment a of the control drum Newno circuit can be closed even by the brush c, because the upper slidebar 1 oi? the answering' device Z is now likewise connected to thenegative pole; the relays and 72/ remain dead; 72 remains in midposition; and the pawl 6' drops into the notch in the disc win'unediatcly it reaches the top point, so that the main switch drumstops exactly at the proper point, whereby the motor a is cut out at eand is braked by the slip coupling 0. If the controller drum be rotatedto higher controlling steps, the sliding brushes of. the answeringdevice will follow each time until there is no longer any potentialdill-en once a their two contact surfaces. that is to say, until thebrush has become connected on both sides to the lpole, and the brush ILhas become connected on both sides of the pole. The same is the casewhen the controller drum i is rotated. back from a higher to a lowerstage. Only, in this case the .ontrolling current does not pass anylonger through the brush r and the upper bar ;I/ to the w coils oi? therelays f/ and 72 but it now pass s through the brush 1/ and the lowerbar a; to the --l coils of the relays. so "'iat now the F-Wli ili 0 olthe relay (I is over. and the motor u: will r n in the :0 direction inand continue so rununtil the brushes 7 chop. with un coiidroller druni'27 w c m into hi'ect oaboic stated. the anz'swcjringr device may alsobe constructed differently from that shown; 'i'or instance Jit may havea.

round. contact path or be formedv as a switch drum. The relays also areindicated only in a diagrammatic manner and may be constructeddifferently; in particular the relay 72 may have a single core and. asingle switch contact. Likewise, the construction. of the other switchdevices may be modified; further apparatus and. locking devices may beadded according to the special requirements of the Working of eachvinstallaproved apparatus without further trouble;

'What' I claim is I. In Combination in a multiple control apparatus forelectric control of railway vehicles, a controller drum, a plurality ofcontrolling motors, a plurality of answering devices for theautomaticduly timed cut ting out of the controlling motors, a pairofcontact surfaces on't-he controller drurm'a pair of contact surfaces oneach of the an- "sivcring devices, one of every pair of contact surfacesbeing insulated from the other and connected to one pole ofJapowercircuit, "the other of every pair being connected to theopposite'p'ole of the power cir- 2. In combination in a apparatus forelectric control of railway vehicles, a controller drum, a plurality ofcon trolling motors, a plurality of answering devices for the automaticduly timed cutting out of the controlling motors, a pair of contactsurfaces on the controller drum, a pair of contact surfaces on each ofthe answering devices, one of every pair of contact surfaces beinginsulated from the other and cons nected to one pole of a powercircuit,the

other of every pair being connected to the opposite pole of the powercircuit, and relays receiving their energizing current through the saidcontact surfaces connected to the poles of the power circuit, said relays serving to control respectively a controlling motor as well as ananswering device. r I

3. In combination in a multiple control apparatus for electric controlof railway vehicles, a controller drum,-a plurality of cone trollingmotors, a plurality of answering de vices for the automatic duly timedcutting out of the controlling motors, a pair of contact surfaces on thecontroller drum, a pair of contact surfaces on each of the answeringdevices, one of every pair of contact surfaces being insulated from theother and connected to one pole of a power circuit, the

other of every pair being connected to the opposite pole of the powercircuit. and relays receiving their energizing current through the saidcontact surfaces connected to the poles'of the power circuit, said relays serving to control respectively a con- 7 trolling motor as well asan answering device, each of the two relays having two en ergizing coilsconnected respectively to the two poles of the power circuit.

l. In combination in a multiple control apparatus for electric controlof railway vehicles, a controller drum, a plurality of controllingmotors, a plurality of answering devices for the automatic duly timedcutting out of the controlling motors, a'pair of contact surfaces on thecontroller drum, a pair of contact surfaces on each of the answeringdevices, one of every pair of contact surfaces being insulated from theother and connected to one poleof a power circuit, the

other of every pair being connected to the opposite pole of the powercircuit, and relays receiving their energizing current through the saidcontact surfaces connected to the poles of the power circuit, saidrelays serving to'control respectively a controlling motor as well as anansweringdevice, and in the controlling motorrelay'a core or armaturewhich is attracted to different sides whenenergized by one or other ofits two coils. H

' 5. In combination in a. multipl e'control apparatus for electriccontrolof railway vc- V v "hicles, a controller drum, a plurality ofmultiple control controlling motors, a plurality of answering devicesfor the automatic duly timed cutting out of the controlling motors, apair'of contact surfaces on the controller drum, a pair of contactsurfaces on each of the answering devices, oneof every pair of contactsurfaces being insulated. from the other and connected to one pole of apower circuit, the other. of every pair being connected to the oppositepole of the power circuit, and relays receiving their energizing currentthrough the said contact surfaces connected to the poles of the powercircuit, saidrelays serving to control respectively a controlling motoras well as an answering device, and in the controlling motor relay acore or armature which is attracted to different sides when energized byone Or other of its two coils, and a reversing switch having nomidposition actuated by the relay serving the controlling motor.

6. In combination in a multiple control apparatus for electric controlof railway, ve-i hicles, a controller drum, a plurality of controllingmotors, a plurality of answering devices for the automatic duly, timedcutting out of the controlling motors, a pair of contact surfaces on thecontroller drum, a pair of contact surfaces on each of the answeringdevices, one of every pair of contact surfaces being insulated from theother and connected to one pole of a power circuit, the other of everypair being connected to the opposite pole of the power circuit, andrelays receiving their energizing current through the said contactsurfaces connected to the poles of the power circuit, said relaysserving to control respectively a controlling motor as well asananswering device, and in the controlling motor relay a core or armaturewhich is attracted to different sides when energized by one or other ofits two coils, and a reversing switch having no mid position actuated bythe relay serving the controlling motor, the several parts co-operatingin such a manner that the controlling 130' motor circuit will remainclosed until in consequence of the displacement of the contact surfacesof the answering device, both coils of both relays are connected at bothterminals with the same pole of the power circuit and therefore remainde-energized.

'7. In combination in a multiple control apparatus for electric controlof railway vehicles, a controller drum, a plurality of controllingmotors, a plurality of answering devices for the automatic duly timedcutting out of the controlling; motors, a pair of con tact surfaces onthe controller drum, a pair of contact surfaces on each of the answeringdevices, one of every pair of contact surfaces being insulated from theother and connected to one pole of the net, the other of every pairbeing connected to the opposite pole of the net, the controlling circuitbeing completely separated from the other circuits of the vehicle.

S. In combination in a multiple control apparatus for electric controlof railway vehicles, a controller drum, a plurality of controllingmotors, a plurality of answering devices for the automatic duly timedcutting out of the controlling motors, a pair of contact surfaces on thecontroller drum, apairofcontact surfaces on each of the answeringdevices, one of every pair of contact surfaces being in sulated from theother and connected to one pole of the net, the other of every pair being connected to the opposite pole of the not, the controlling circuitbeing completely separated from the other circuits of the vehicle, thecontrolling circuit alone extending throughout the entire length of thetrain, while the circuits of the driving motors are independent of oneanother.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this SDGClfiCEttlOD.

ABBA AM COUWENHOVEN.

